I finally got out of debt about a year ago and I still love reading how other people have done it. Not only is living debt free an important lifestyle both individually and for the family but I don’t think we’ll ever be able to hold our elected officials fiscally accountable until we can manage to hold ourselves to the same standard.

flickr: Chrisina Snyder

The best thing ever did for myself was to build an emergency savings. Suddenly I was no longer living paycheck to paycheck, and with my head finally out of the water I was able to correct the errors of my former 19 year old self. I’m glad I learned my lesson young, I see people in their thirties and forties falling into the same pitfalls.